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When she came to him, it had felt like a dream…

Klaus was sitting in his living room, swirling some brandy in a glass and contemplating how exactly to deal with this latest spoke in the wheel that was his reign of New Orleans. This was a regular thing for him. Getting New Orleans back was one thing. Keeping it was quite another. It was a quite morning. He was quite surprised when a blonde vampire zipped into his living room unannounced. When he realised who it was, he got to his feet swiftly.

"Caroline…" he breathed, "What are you doing here?"

She had smiled that brilliant, warm smile of hers and taken his hand.

"Would you believe me if I said I came to say hi?"

As she laughed he pulled his hand away and stepped back. This was unexpected behaviour from Caroline and he was confused. Randomly showing up in his house, being so cheerful with him…she had probably come to ask for something for her friends in Mystic Falls. He walked to the table to pour himself more brandy.

"I don't have time for this. What do you want?" he said harshly.

When he turned around, he realised that her smile had dimmed. He felt a little bad for that. He was happy to see her but she was never there for the reasons he wanted.

"Klaus, I…," Caroline cleared her throat and continued, "I don't really know how to say this…"

"I suggest you just spit it out, sweetheart," Klaus returned snippily.

At that, Caroline stepped forward and kissed Klaus. It was soft and short, no tongue, just a meeting of the lips. But for Klaus that short kiss held the most poignant promise. A promise that he had given up hope even existed for them. Caroline ended the kiss and looked up at him, her eyes begging him to understand. She made to step away and leave but Klaus grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Caroline…," he moaned, before recapturing her lips. This kiss was nothing like the first. This kiss was passionate and wild. Their hands flailed madly, grasping and tearing at each other's clothes until they were both naked. Klaus zipped them upstairs to his room, where they fell onto the bed. There were no words between them so every action had to speak for itself. Every touch of his hand spoke of the many nights he had dreamt of just this. Every kiss she gave him was an apology for the time they had lost, when they could have been together. While they made love, every stroke of Klaus' screamed the depth of his love for her. The openness of her body to him was her way of telling him that she was his, now and forever.

Caroline had fallen asleep in his arms. He stayed awake stroking her hair and admiring the beautiful woman that was now his.

He was the King of New Orleans and she was his Queen. He protected her and she always had his back. She understood him but held him back when the need arose. Everything was perfect until…

Even before the door slammed behind him, he was calling her name. He couldn't wait to see her face when he showed her his surprise. He zipped past the living room to the stairs but then zipped back when he realised someone was in the living room. Rebekah was standing by the fireplace, a pleased look on her face. She smiled when he approached; she looked like she had been waiting for him.

"She's not here, Nik," said Rebekah smoothly.

Klaus raised an eyebrow. Something felt off with her.

"O…K, do you know where she's gone or when she'll be back?" he asked.

Rebekah giggled. "I know where she's gone and she's never coming back."

Klaus' face darkened and so did his tone. "What did you do to her, little sister?"

"Me?" she replied, the faux innocence practically dripping, "I simply un-did a little something I did do five years ago. Tell me, Nik, didn't you ever wonder why Caroline came to you all of a sudden head over heels in love and ready to share her life with you? Never struck you as a bit abrupt or too good to be true?"

Knowledge dawned on Klaus. "You…you couldn't have…you wouldn't have…" he stuttered.

"Oh but I did. I compelled her. I knew she would make you happier than anything else I could possibly do or get for you. Then recently I realised that you were happy, practically over the moon. So I knew it was the right time to yank her out from under you…literally and figuratively."

Rebekah had spoken in a smug tone of self-satisfaction. Her peals of laughter ripped through the hurt, confused fog Klaus was in. All of that cleared away and all he felt was rage. Luckily, rage was an emotion Klaus was very familiar with and very comfortable in.

His voice even, Klaus asked, "So where has she gone?"

"Where do you think, big brother? Back to Tyler Lockwood. You should have seen her when I lifted the compulsion. In between her disgust at what she had been doing with you, she was worried sick that it was too late for her and her hybrid hunk. It was him she loved all along, Niklaus, not you."

Klaus raised his gaze to look into Rebakah's eyes. In them he saw nothing but mirth and happiness at his despair.

"Why?" he asked.

"Telling you why would take years. Just remember all the times you daggered me, all the times you took happiness from me. That's why."

Klaus made a mental note to kill her when he got back. Right now he had to find Caroline. He had to believe that Rebekah had lied and that there was still hope for them.